United Nations

What is the connection of the UN to treaties? What is the NPT?

- (NPT) = Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty - Regulates the production, trade, and dismantling of nuclear weapons - Treaties are made in order to attain peace → UN was created in order to attain peace - One of the purposes of the UN is to strengthen international order through greater respect for treaties and other agreements

Why was the UN located in the US? In NYC?

- After WWII US came out of war strong unlike Europe - US: would help engage americans in world politics → technology capabilities, democratic media, available facilities - UN located in UN also means after WWII older position of America First (isolationism) was being repudiated (rejected) - NYC: US oil businessman John Rockefeller offered the UN $8.5 million in order to purchase a specific piece of property in NYC

Why was the US voted off of the Commission in 2001?

- It was running for one of the three seats reserved for "Western" states, and lost to France, Austria, and Sweden - US policies in the Middle East → reason why voted off US refusal to sign bans on child soldiers and landmines, refusal to support the International Criminal Court, US refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol - not liable if they joined the commission ---> hypocritical - don't want to subject US --- prosecution

What was the UN charter and when was it signed?

- June 25, 1945 - German surrenders before summer of 1945 - what happens later in summer of 1945 (month later) - Japan is bombed - international agreement among states made in order to maintain international peace and security

What does "The United Nations is only as good as its members, especially its primary members, want it to be" mean?

- The UN itself does not fail or succeed; the countries that make up its membership do - succeeds or fails only as good as the security council wants it to be

What aspects of the security council might some object to?

- Veto power → each of the 5 permanent members has the right to veto Security Council decisions

Why are we reading about the UN?

- human rights - consequences of the world wars (ex: WWII, cold war) - UN is still relevant today

How did the Cold War and its end affect the UN?

- limited effectiveness of the UN during the Cold War - UN membership quadrupled since charter was signed - Cooperations among the permanent members grew → demands on the UN were greater than ever - Changing nature of global concerns required the Security Council to consider the reach of its authority

What is collective security?

- the cooperation of several countries in an alliance to strengthen the security of each. - attack on one --> attack on all - to respond to an attack on any League member as though it were on attack on itself ** outcome of recent election --> collective security - NATO (type of collective security) Trump doesn't want the US to be called upon on collective security of European countries

Which US president led the effort to create the UN?

After president Roosevelt died Harry S Truman - Roosevelt led the effort to create the UN --> Truman will implement the UN - UNUDHR Eleanor Roosevelt

Which countries had permanent seats on the security council?

Britain China USSR US France ***5 primary winners of WWII

The UN is currently made up of 192 states. What is a state?

DEFINITON: - Is a system of government that presides over a defined geographic area MUST HAVES: - specific territory (boundaries, borders) - population to govern - sovereignty: state calls shots w/o interference - bundle of institutions (who are responsible for actually operating/governing territory/people) - international recognition (seen as independent by other countries) (recognized by other states that they are a state) - "legitimate" use of violence (military, police) - vary in power NOT THE SAME AS: - a nation : an identity shared by a group of people based on - ethnic group - political understanding of the past - political goals for the future **can have nations without states **can have nations situated in states - a country

What is the International Criminal Court? Do you think the US should be a member of it? Explain.

Ensure that individuals guilty of committing genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity were punished Yes - Increase a good reputation for them - follows their morals - would be hypocritical if they didn't believe in the international criminal court - People who have done bad things should pay

What is the Human Rights Commission and what are pros & cons of having such a commission?

Human Rights Commision: Charged the commission with examining, monitoring, and reporting on human rights situations PROS: Promotes human rights and helps develop international treaties on human rights issues Investigating and monitoring sites where human rights were being abused → publicly reporting on these abuses, and condemning the perpetrators CONS: The commission with 53 members elected to three year terms, often had representatives from countries with questionable human rights records → hypocritical Commission was failing Commissions declining credibility led to a downfall of reputation of the UN

What happened to the Commission in 2006?

May 2006 - UN replace the commission with a new body -- a Human Rights Council - General Assembly elected 47 countries as members of the Human Rights Council and the Human Rights Council and the Human Rights Commission ceased to exist

What are the pros & cons of the international Bill of Rights?

PROS: World came together to agree on universal expectations of individual rights and freedoms Document became guidelines for states' domestic laws, conduct of business among states CONS: International community does not have a system for implementing them universally

Describe the three main values of the UN charter?

Sovereignty - The absolute authority of the state to govern itself without outside interference - Gives the permanent members of the Security Council authoritative power over others Self determination - Is the right of a people to choose their own government Territorial integrity - Is the idea that international boundaries should not forcibly be changed UN charter --> states (relation) - privileging/holding higher value of democracy - protecting states rights from each other - providing guideline how states should be/act

What is the connection of the UN UDHR to the International Bill of Rights?

This document , and two later "covenants" make up the foundation for the current international standards of human rights → International Bill of Rights